Facebook Lexicon is a new amazing way to waste time. Search terms provide a graph of the frequency of a term showing up on Facebook “Wall Posts”. It’s fun to compare certain ones, and when strange spikes appear it’s interesting to try and pinpoint how come. My friend Praveen has been going nuts on it and we made some interesting discoveries:
Drunk in blue, hungover in orange. Major downspike on Christmas, with the uptick in both soon to follow on New Years. You can see it peaking each weekend as well.
I was happy to see the April 17th spike for “high five” on National High Five Day
Slutty, Nurse, Angel, Devil and Cat all peak around Halloween. Lexicon unfortunately does not link to examples.
As do burrito and chipotle. Some research reveals that Chipotle has a policy of giving free burritos to anyone dressed as a burrito. Twice this month the local Chipotle gave away burritos to anyone with a zoo membership or a library card and the lines were out the door. Earning the free five dollar burrito took at least half an hour, and I’d do it again, dammit.
Moo, Meow and Oink are shown above. Lots of slutty cats are presumably the reason for the Halloween Meow spike. Oink trails far behind both of the other animal sounds, except for a few days before Halloween, when Facebook users en masse lamented the dearly departed torrent mecca Oink’s Pink Palace
The graph for “pregnant”. The December spike comes from Jamie Lynn’s announcement. The April one had us a bit more confused until we zoomed in to the exact date and realized it was the product of hundreds of April Fool’s Day Pregnancy announcements. Amazing.
I thought the graph for Dead might turn up a similar rash of hoaxes, but it only shows one spike on 1/22: Heath Ledger.
Indy and Colts graphed here. Colts spikes for two big losses, vs the Patriots and Chargers, but Indy takes over mid may when Kingdom of the Crystal Skull debuted two days before the Indy 500
Black, white, red, blue and green. Green gets the biggest spike of all as people attempt to avoid pinches on St. Patricks Day. Black represents as deal hunters get ready to trample the pregnant and elderly for ten dollar DVD players on Black Friday. Red enjoyed several peaks a few days a part that confounded me, but Praveen figured out that they represented Red Sox World Series games. Red is also big on Valentines Day,and White’s big peak comes the day after Christmas…
I’ll leave you with this mystery image. First to guess what word the above image was for wins a free RiffTrax on me!
And please post any interesting Lexicon discoveries or mysteries you find in the comments.
56 responses so far ↓
1 OmegaRowsdower on Sep 22, 2008 at 7:11 pm
First one here… ahh….
Well, my guess…
Bacon?
probably too obvious… but then… maybe not….
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Reply from OmegaRowsdower on September 22, 2008:
and subconsciously admits lack of detective skills as I didn’t look a single thing up….
)
(also the same reason I can’t beat any Phoenix Wright games
Reply from Conor Lastowka on September 22, 2008:
Actually, I hadn’t looked up bacon, but it’s biggest peak comes on the mystery images biggest valley…interesting:
http://www.new.facebook.com/lexicon/#/lexicon/index.php?q=bacon
2 justhesh on Sep 22, 2008 at 7:32 pm
“but Indy takes over mid may when Kingdom of the Crystal Skull debuted two days before the Indy 500″
What brilliant synergy!
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3 Scooter on Sep 22, 2008 at 7:49 pm
http://www.new.facebook.com/lexicon/index.php?q=futurama#/lexicon/index.php?q=futurama
Futurama spikes around the times when the movies were released, but otherwise doesn’t even register
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4 Scooter on Sep 22, 2008 at 7:52 pm
also, the mystery is Happy Birthday, I believe
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Reply from Conor Lastowka on September 22, 2008:
Just ‘birthday’ actually, but you win. Poor Leap Day b-day havers! Email me at conor at rifftrax dot com to claim your prize.
Reply from MST3Kelly on September 23, 2008:
hey Scooter good going! you got it! oddly, I found that ‘peanut butter’ produced almost the same spike pattern.
mmm- spiky peanut butter–
5 jfruh on Sep 22, 2008 at 8:06 pm
I admit to being totally immature and looking up “sex,” only to be horrified by a stunning spike in late May. (Turns out, released ate of “Sex and the City” movie, duh).
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Reply from Conor Lastowka on September 22, 2008:
That was one of the first I looked up and was baffled by it, but my friend had already looked it up and knew the answer.
Reply from Triangle O. Daver on September 23, 2008:
Speaking of which: “blowjob” has a huge spike in mid-March. Regardless of how you celebrate the Ides of March, it seems a little strange to write about it on your Facebook wall…
Reply from runnerman on September 23, 2008:
I believe it is caused by national “Steak and Blowjob Day” on March 14th.
Reply from Triangle O. Daver on September 23, 2008:
Good call, runnerman. I had no idea such a holiday even existed. I guess it’s NOT some perverse way of remembering the murder of Julius Caesar, then.
6 Praveen on Sep 22, 2008 at 8:26 pm
Scrabulous: http://www.new.facebook.com/lexicon/?q=scrabulous
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7 ArthurSpeakman on Sep 22, 2008 at 8:28 pm
My theory was Leap Year, but those are valleys. Crud. As for interesting, it seems pretty much all entries dip after Christmas, as everyone is presumably away from their computer.
Hrm.
-Art
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8 Slade Rockfist on Sep 22, 2008 at 8:34 pm
I don’t think I’ve ever seen so much useless information all in one place before…..except on the actual Facebook Lexicon, of course…
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9 gojikranz on Sep 22, 2008 at 9:49 pm
http://www.new.facebook.com/lexicon/index.php?q=+facebook+sucks
huge spike in facebook sucks with implementation of the new facebook.
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Reply from justhesh on September 23, 2008:
Some of those are made up of statements from Bill, I am sure.
10 Auntie Maim on Sep 23, 2008 at 5:16 am
This is far, FAR too fascinating!! I’ve never been so glad that my employer’s filter blocks Facebook.
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11 ZachDaniel on Sep 23, 2008 at 5:45 am
Fascninating! I searched for “wounded” not knowing what to expect - HUGE spike on Feb. 14 o.O
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Reply from ZachDaniel on September 23, 2008:
PS. This was after my attempt to search for “knife wound” found zero results. Refreshing.
Reply from Smuttynose on September 23, 2008:
Ah, the heart is wounded on Valentine’s day. Interesting indeed… and glad there was no “knife wound” as well.
Reply from Praveen on September 24, 2008:
Speaking of “wounded”, I think “injured” and “injury” reveal Favre (Nov 2007), D. Wade (Feb), and Brady (9/7)
12 Tom on Sep 23, 2008 at 5:55 am
Hmmmm..Could it be “Alchohol” since those dips appear to occur on Christmas day, New Year’s day and Ash Wednesday- all days when one would be likely to suffer a hangover.
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13 Smuttynose on Sep 23, 2008 at 6:09 am
“Conor” had no data.
“Corbett” had no date.
“Rifftrax” had no data.
“Smuttynose” had no data.
“State Quarters” had no data.
“Bacon”, however, was there with a wierd spike in late February.
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Reply from Conor Lastowka on September 23, 2008:
My only consolation is that neither does “sexman”
14 MST3Kelly on Sep 23, 2008 at 6:49 am
curse you, Conor! first ‘pruane2′ and now this!
I am like a moth to a flame.
sad, really.
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15 Smuttynose on Sep 23, 2008 at 7:32 am
Right. And neither does “Stinky the Hutt”, although just the word “stinky” spikes every Thursday morning at 3AM. Wierd.
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16 Nerf on Sep 23, 2008 at 7:36 am
This one is sort of cool….
Can anyone figure out the spike for the number “3″ on Valentines Day? It may be really easy if you’re younger.
Also, what’s the reason for the spike for the number “4″ in mid April? That may show what kind of person you are.
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Reply from Smuttynose on September 23, 2008:
“3″ is for me, my girl, and love. Awww.
“4″ is the same on they keyboard as “$”, therefore denoting April 15… the tax deadline.
I’m just winging it here. Obvious?
Reply from Auntie Maim on September 23, 2008:
Nah, “3″ is from people “hearting” each other –> <3
Isn’t it cute?
And “4″ could be from 1040…but that’s too boring to be true.
Reply from Nerf on September 23, 2008:
“4″ is from 4:20 the national holiday.
Reply from Smuttynose on September 23, 2008:
Aw, dude I should have TOTALLY got that one… but… (cough)… what?
17 Melman on Sep 23, 2008 at 8:16 am
“Vagina” gets a huge spike in mid february. I am baffled.
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Reply from suzanne on September 23, 2008:
all this lexiconning is taking away my precious “i want you to finish the goddamn state quarters” time.
and it’s taking away your time to finish it.
i highly suggest putting facebook on your computer’s blacklist.
Reply from suzanne on September 23, 2008:
meant to reply to the original post. but lexicon has stolen my concentration. did you know “pants” has a huge bulge at aug. 1? ha. hahah.
Reply from NavarezElectro on September 23, 2008:
The postings regarding tested words sound like one-liners from seasoned Catskill comedians. Oh, for fun!
Reply from Praveen on September 24, 2008:
The “vagina” spike is squarely on Valentine’s Day, which, interestingly, is the one time EVER that “vagina” > “penis”:
http://www.facebook.com/lexicon/index.php?q=penis%2C+vagina
18 Au$10 on Sep 23, 2008 at 9:06 am
Excellent research, sir.
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19 Smuttynose on Sep 23, 2008 at 9:10 am
Bacon product update!
Piece in heart, fragrance in mouth…
http://engrishfunny.com/2008/09/16/engrish-piece-in-heart-fragrance-in-mouth/
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20 Jer on Sep 23, 2008 at 9:25 am
“chihuahua” had quite a spike last october…
http://www.new.facebook.com/lexicon/index.php?q=chihuahua
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21 Barry on Sep 23, 2008 at 5:49 pm
I wanted to check on Joey Pants, but the stupid Lexicon requires stupid Flash, and I refuse to sell out to the stupid Man.
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22 Meredith on Sep 23, 2008 at 5:59 pm
“pluto” has a huge spike on May 18th, when new moons were discovered.
“cookie” has a huge drop in mid-December, for reasons unknown.
Typing random words has never been so interesting.
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Reply from NavarezElectro on September 23, 2008:
I love these postings! I found myself reading “‘cookie’ has a huge drop in mid-December” in a Kevin Murphyesque newsreel narrator voice.
“Good Evening, Mr. and Mrs. America and all the ships at sea. For reasons unknown, the word ‘cookie’ has registered a huge drop in mid-December. More later on this intriguing development.”
Reply from NavarezElectro on September 23, 2008:
And in hommage to Mr. Walter Winchell, of course.
“‘Ball Bearings’ fell in late April, while ‘Bubbles’ continues to rise. Stay tuned.”
23 MST3Kelly on Sep 23, 2008 at 6:54 pm
huh. this is interesting- if you enter the word ‘Lexicon’ you get nothing. hmmm.
hey- wait a minute-
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24 Ed on Sep 23, 2008 at 8:07 pm
“Pants” gets a spike on August 1st.
http://www.facebook.com/lexicon/index.php?q=pants
This… this has me flummoxed. I mean, I’ve often considered August 1st a good day to wear pants, yes, but this still seems a little extreme.
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Reply from Triangle O. Daver on September 24, 2008:
Perhaps it has something to do with “The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants 2″, which came out on August 6?
25 RobtheBarbarian on Sep 23, 2008 at 11:43 pm
http://www.new.facebook.com/lexicon/index.php?q=canada%2C+america
Canada is mentioned more around the 4th of July than America is.
http://www.new.facebook.com/lexicon/index.php?q=break+up
People break up more in November and March?
http://www.new.facebook.com/lexicon/index.php?q=fat
People feel fat after Thanksgiving and call other people fat on Valentines Day!
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Reply from RobtheBarbarian on September 23, 2008:
http://www.new.facebook.com/lexicon/index.php?q=monkey
People only talk about monkeys on weekdays.
Reply from Praveen on September 24, 2008:
“fat” in Feb is probably Fat Tuesday
Reply from Praveen on September 24, 2008:
Canada Day is Jul 1
Reply from SJC on October 25, 2008:
Probably because the day is “Canada Day” where the 4th of July is not “America Day”
Also, would “break up” be because of ending college semesters?
26 Josh on Sep 25, 2008 at 4:53 pm
MySpace lost its popularity contest to Facebook on April 15th:
http://www.new.facebook.com/lexicon/index.php?q=myspace%2C+fb
What’s with the dips of “love” on April 11th, May 15th and August 15th?
http://www.new.facebook.com/lexicon/index.php?q=love
The almighty F word? It gains momentum during each weekday then drops off on the weekends. Haha!
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27 Flipper74 on Sep 29, 2008 at 4:39 pm
The word “hate” dips on the weekend (in addition to Christmas and New Year’s).
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28 bob on Feb 21, 2009 at 6:13 pm
Anyone find the reason for the horrible spike in November?
http://www.facebook.com/lexicon/index.php?q=iraq,economy#/lexicon/index.php?q=nigger
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